Suction air-chamber.



F. B. MGNINGH.

SUTION AIR CHAMBER.

v APPLIUMION FILED MAB.. 1s, 1910.

98(5,736' 4 Patented Mar.14,1911

UNIrED' AStL-Arias .PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK n. .meNINcrL OF'PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

y' suc'rIoN ara-CHAMBER.

especially that class of air chambers-which are applicable to dental plates or artificial palates, and] has for its object to detach-""- ably securer'the air chamber to the artificial palate. said air chamber having a vaive whereby the air remaining in the air chamber after it.has\bee`n placed in the mouth may be withdrawn, thereby causing an excellent vacuum which drawsthe plate close to -the roof of the mouth.:

Inv accomplishing thej above named objects, I construct my device in two parts, the first part being the artificial palate, having a female member vulcanized therein, the\ be second part including a softlrubber air chamber having an outlet, over which iS placed a perforated soft rubber diaphragm which acts as a valve for closing the outlet, Th

said air chamber having a male-member mounted thereon which snaps into the fev male member, thereby detachably securing the second part to the first part. A suction y air chamber constructed in this 'manner permits tlic air which remains in the chamber, after it has been' placed in the mouth to be readily withdrawn, so that a vacuum will be obtained, thereby causinglthe air chamber to colla se and rest against the roof'of the moutluxlwhich will draw the Aartificial palate securely into place, and being detachl able. the air chamber may be replaced when wornrout. l l Wlth these ends 1n view, this invention consists in the detalls ofconstruction and .combination of elements hereinafter set forth land 'then specifically designated by the claims.

In order that those skilled in the art to 'I which this inventlon apper-tains may under stand how to make and-use the same, Iwill y describe its construction in detail, referring by letter to the accompanyin drawing forming a partl of this speci cation, in whichl' g Figure lis a plan view of my improved` suction air chamber. Fig. 2, a section at Specification of Letters Patent. Patented DIal. 14, 1 911. Application filed March 16, 19il0. Serial No. 549,661.

theline :v -ar: of Fig.11. Fig. 3, a longitudi- I ual sectional view of the artificial palate 0r plate, showing the cap therein.. Fig; 4, a

- plan .view of a slightly modified form of my invention infwhich two valves are employed. Fig. 5, a perspective view of an upper plate showing my invention ap lied thereto. Fig. 6, a rear view thereof s owing the position of the outlet from the valve, and `Fi 7, a perspective view of 4a lower plate s owing 1ny'moditied-fo1m applied thereto. f f

In carr ing 'out my 4invention as here embodied, re resents the artificial alate or plate, in wliich is vulcanized the emale member B, having an opening)C and provided with an annular groove which prevents. its withdrawal' from thepl ate A and acts as a' retainer for the male member, as will be hereinafter described.

. E 'denotes theair chamber 'of soft rubber I which is provided wi'tha flan e Fjentirely around its `,outer edge', and on't is .air'chamr -is mounted themale member' G, similar in all details' togthemember', with the exception of size,so: asto enable the male member to fitwithnethe female member.

e air chamber hasa which ,entirely fills;the cavity in the male member G, andfin-this body portion is formed an outlet I, from, the inner end of which radiate a number'of groovesA J, said, grooves extending to lthe ange F. Over the male-member G is placed -a valve or diaphragm K, preferably of soft rubber and is secured in place. by cmenting vits outer edge. to the' ma'le member, leaving the cen- 'tral 'portion free to move toward or away f rom the outer end of the outlet I, and this valve is ,provided with a perforation L.

body portion H whlch' is out-'of alinement with the outlet I so that the va'lve will4 close the outlet when a vacuum has been formed in the air chamber.

In practicethe male member G will snap into the female-member B, the ves D coinciding in this way holding the-air cham` ber 1n place under all ordinary conditions.

In placing the artificial palate in the ,mputh,.the air chamber will come in contact .with the natural palate, then the suctionv produced bv' the tongue and mouth will draw the air from the space between the plate E andthe natural palate through the Lpassage way'I and the perforation L. formmgavacuuue in the air chamber; When the at right angles thereto.

snction'is relieved the valve or diaphragm K will resume its natural position andv since the valve is of soft rubber, the tendency will be to enter the outlet I, thus efectually c10sl ing said passage way.

In my modified formas shown in Figs. 4 and 7, I have so constructed 'the device that lit can beapplied to either-'the labial or lingual surface of the inferior alveolar ridge. In this modified' form of my invention M represents the.air` chamber of soft rubber,

and is formed comparatively long and narrow so that it ma)v be readily applied to either flange of the' lower plate. In` proximityvto both ends is placed a valve, each of which is similar in all details to the one described and shown in Figs. 2 and 3. In the :chamber M is formed a' groove N which runs the entire length thereof connecting the valves with each other and into this groove inn a nnmber'of other 'grooves J preferably 'lhisair chamber lace will have the outlets leading when lin to the si o o'f the plate, as indicated by' O, ..25 -Y s -a soft rubber air ehamberh'aving an outlet I leading therefrom, and means-for normally closingsaid outlet..

. 2. .In a device of the Vcharacter described,

a softrubber collapsible air chamber having grooves radiating therefrom an-outl-et and and provided withan' integral flange around its outer edge, an'd means for normally/closing the outlet. f" A, 3. In4 a .device of. the. character described, a rubber. air chamber having`-an-outlet, a

niet-allie l male memberfhaving an` 'annular groove -and provided with an.opening,,and

a valve' of soft. rubber having a perforation mounted upon said male member, the perforation being outof alinement with the outlet. i

4. In adevice of the character described, a collapsible soft rubber air chamber gprovided with aplurality o'f. outlets and valves for closing,l said outlets.

5. Incombination with'an artificial palate havinga female member vulcanized therein,

of a soft-rubberair chamber [carrying a' valve detachably mounted 'insaid female 1nember.'" A. 'In testimony whereof. I have hereunto atlixed my signature in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

v FRANK" B. MGNINCH. lVitnsses: i 'y' l 1 -An-E. RICH,

B. L. CARROLL. 

